Old Bar Ferris Wheel Incident

[Tomo]

Just for those interested, here's a video I took when I flew in the S100 at Monto - though it was the 3300 engine.

 

 

 

[Yenn]

OK so lots of you have had a say.Who knows how many pilots look up the Notams?

 

My guess is that most pilots flying outside their imediate area would look at weather and notams as a requirement of good planning.

 

 

[winsor68]

Just saw footage taken from the air of the airstrip and obstruction. From the angle I saw no one should have attempted to use the strip after some IDIOT put a bloody great obstruction at the end of it!!!!

 

Someone needs to get someone's foot in their arxe!!!

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Come on, the Ferris Wheel isn't that big. its not like its in the middle of the strip

 

 

[winsor68]

Don,Whilst there are serious questions on the wisdom of the placement of the Ferris Wheel, it is ultimately the Pilots decision to get permission, be aware of the obstructions and make as assessment as to whether or not he can operate within any displaced thresholds that may be caused by the obstruction. If he cannot, he operates at his own risk. That is the way it is on ALAs.

David

I agree... PIC holds the ultimate responsibility... BUT... Someone needs to answer for allowing the whole thing. Regardless of anything that is still an airstrip and putting that Ferris wheel where it was is a ridiculous decision.

 

 

[Bluey]

What I want to know is whose bright idea was it to put a ferris wheel that close to a well known airstrip in the first place? An obstruction of that nature, under the right conditions (overcast and gloomy) would make it hard to see from the air. Remember, it wasn't one person that did not see this thing, it was two. Both are pilots. That says a great deal about its visibility. I found its thin metal structure difficult to spot in the photos when up against a bright sky. Glare from a bright background would have made it difficult to spot when moving at high speed in the short distance from runway to obstruction. Someones arxe should get kicked hard for this one and I am not inclined to blame the pilots at this stage.

 

Bluey.

 

 

[dunlopdangler]

The PIC might also have the distintion of being the first to hit a ferris wheel. (I googled and found nothing) Despite the obvious drift off centreline and lack of situational awareness, it is great that no one was injured and extremely fortunate that there was no one in the two gondolas that wore the brunt of the impact and left dangling. This is a reminder to all of us to not let complacency or carelessness be part of our airmanship.

 

 

[dazza 38]

The FAA says that on average, that pilots make on average 2 mistakes per flight.Not big mistakes , could be as simple as not turning fuel pump off etc.Makes peeps realize that their not perfect.I would like too quote CASA but they probably cant affort too do a similar study.

 

 

[winsor68]

I was there last year and honestly cannot remember it as an obvious obstruction or limitation. Apparently it has been in this position for the annual festival for years.David

I rest my case...

 

 

[djpacro]

The FAA says that on average, that pilots make on average 2 mistakes per flight.......

That makes me feel better. If I find that three things have gone wrong I think I should stop and go do something else instead of flying.

[kjfab]

Why is it that people feel the need to be judge jury and executioner ALL based on speculation. This incident could have happened to any one of us, let’s see what the outcome is based on the facts. So hopefully we all can take something positive out of it.

 

Foot note to Paul Sorry that this has happend,i have met you when i was doing my training at Taree and know that safety is paramount with you.Please dont let this unfortunate incident stop you continuing your flying

 

Kind Regards

 

Kevin

 

 

[turboplanner]

I don't know about his attitude BR, I caught his Al Quaeda crack where publicity really counted, the Reuters video, and I'm as disgusted as a lot of other people are.

 

ATSB have stepped in to this one, so at least we'll be getting a factual report.

 

 

[Spin]

Don and Don, I have to differ I'm afraid - I feel for the pilot and hope he can put this behind him, but the simple unvarnished truth of the matter is he screwed up and aviation is particularly unforgiving in that regard. I'm certain that if he had control difficulties or engine problems they would have been the first words out of his mouth when interviewed. In the absence of those, it is difficult to conclude anything other than that the pilot mishandled the approach and subsequent go-around, with dire results. Let's not forget that to hit that wheel he had to have been flying at well under 100' over a large gathering of people and with substantial trees just ahead. Even if he had avoided becoming worldwide news, he would have deserved a swift boot to the thinking apparatus for getting himself into that position in the first place.

 

I am willing to bet that the very least of the fallout from this event will be that you and I will not be able to fly in to Old Bar for the festival this time next year. If the worst scenario had happened - ie wheel over onto the crowd, a ball of flame from the spilt fuel - it may have impacted on our rights to fly at all! Don't underestimate what hundred's of hysterical headlines can do to political bodies - RA-Aus could cease to exist if the relevant minister felt the heat.

 

Finally, go back and read the roasting dished out to the pilot of the Jab in the ABC video for apparently exceeding a technical requirement re angle of bank, before getting too carried away with the touchy feely side of the site. The driver of a car who lost control and rolled into a children's playground would very likely be charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle or whatever the offence is south of the border - I don't see this situation as any different.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

How lucky everyone was there wasn't a fire. It will be interesting to see what the ATSB makes of all this.

 

The only thing worse than speculation of fellow pilots is the media.

 

The wheel of terror survivors Amber and Jesse Andell recall beig trapped on the ferris wheel at Taree

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Gary Morgan has sent out photos of the recovery, and the damage to, his aircraft. I'll leave it to him to put them on this forum. Very lucky man. Perhaps he should go out and buy a lotto ticket or two.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

I'm with spin, this pilot has to hope the parents of "those damn kids" are fairly laid back.

 

 

[eightyknots]

So I take it a go around on the dead side isn't preferable unless of course you are going around because the runway is occupied or not cleared sufficiently.

It is clear that the pilot went from one attempted go-around to another attempted "go-around" (i.e., a rotating Ferris wheel).

 

Nevertheless, all humour aside, this incident has taught me again that PICs need to have their eyes peeled at all times and be v-e-r-y situationally aware of what is around them and what is around the aerodrome in use. I for one will draw a good lesson from this. May many others do the same.

 

I can't express how thankful I am that the pilot, passenger and kids on the Ferris wheel not only survived but came away from this incident unhurt.

 

 

[djpacro]

But in an instant, their excitement turned to terror - the plane ploughed into the ferris wheel just metres from their carriage, leaving them trapped and terrified they were going to die as their mother Kathy watched helplessly from the ground 10m below

Just read this - seems like fair comment to me. I can imagine if it had been me on the ground with my kids up on the Ferris wheel (I wouldn't go on it, too scary at the best of times).

[Guest Jake.f]

Far out.... the replies on the other forum..... :rolleyes:

 

I really think that accusing the pilot of pretty much being the worst person on the planet right now does not help at all, sh*t happens, and unless you were sitting in the right or left seat you may never know the true story.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Some of the posts in this thread have been removed. There has been a complaint to Raa-aus, which has been relayed to this site, from someone close to the people involved in this incident about the levity of some comments about the incident. The Pprune forum has taken this incident up and is using it as ammunition to discredit our sport and activities. Please limit any further posts to this thread to factual, educational posts.Thanks

Moderator

Thanks for removing the offending posts.

When will we ever learn to keep our mouths shut until we have the FACTS'

 

Alan.

 

 

[av8vfr]

An email forwarded to me from another group

 

Hi There evry one,

As you know a Sierra was caught in a ferris wheel at old bar at the week end.Some photos of where not to put up a structor at the end of runways.

 

Lucky the wheel was almost all unloaded and no one was hurt.

 

Photos of the aircraft show how the wings have come off and the steel frame has held up to protect the pilot and passanger, the top deck that now has the top seat belts, to a strap bolted to the top longeron has held the sudded inpact,

 

In years past the wheel has been to close and this year even closer and turned to face the airstrip. the wheel is only about 100m from the end of the runway and about 3 deg off center line.

 

Regards

 

Garry Morgan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[facthunter]

I think I've lost a few posts there. I would like to think they are read carefully, and not discarded lightly. I don't believe they denegrate anybody personally. What is the point of putting the time in if they are removed that easily?. I've lost a fair bit of motivation to contribute further I'm afraid. Nev

 

 

[Bluey]

Nothing that large should be that close to the end of a short runway. If the organizers of the carnival insist on holding the event that close to a popular airfield, they should insist on the closure of the airfield. No excuses about it. The organizers have a duty of care to the patrons of their event to do a proper risk assessment and take the necessary action to ensure safety. What if an aircraft has an efato? From a legal view point, the organizers have been negligent!

 

 

[XAIRVTW]

At the very least a Notam should of been present on the day. If not why was'nt there one, with something of this nature so close to an airfield. Questions would have to be asked who authorised the placement of the ferris wheel?

 

 

[Spin]

Ditto the above; don't know that I've lost too many posts but having the discussion effectively shut down because of "complaint...., from someone close to the people involved" sticks in my gullet and if anything has a contrary effect on my sympathy levels. I have been very fortunate not to have bent an aircraft or done anything too noticeably stupid in my 20 odd years in and around aircraft, but have been through it with close friends who have, so have some understanding of the emotions involved. Sympathy for the pilot and what he is going through does not change the situation for everyone else, as Nev keeps saying we can learn from this and should do so.